The country has advanced 75% for the analog blackout that will take place on August 4th, 2019. The Alvarado administration took on this project where the different operators, who are already doing experiments, will have to make the change from an analog signal to digital the current year.
“We could be 75% with this project, with challenges but walking towards them. That nobody is going to be disconnected or remove the right that people are left uninformed”, said Luis Adrián Salazar Solís, Minister of Science, Technology, and Telecommunications (MICITT).
According to the MICITT hierarchy, the digital television commission is being strengthened from the ministry, where the different actors of the ecosystem involved are located. Additionally, the issue of relocating the 3 towers installed in the Irazú Volcano must be resolved in order to transmit the signal to the entire national territory, since they were at risk.
Then another of the obstacles has been the permits for the adjustments and thus be able to make the leap to digital TV. That’s why they have been working -properly in a meeting with operators- to take the technical steps and be able to leave on August 14th.
“Another important issue is the microwave links, in the National Plan for operators can access through direct concession. The Executive Power is doing its part and committed to fulfilling the transition”, he added.
Likewise, the MICITT is committed, they argued, with a dissemination campaign with the Mixed Institute of Social Assistance (IMAS), properly with the vulnerability of the beneficiaries, they can deliver the converter that will allow the entire population to be informed, regardless of the television they have.
Added to this, Edwin Estrada, vice minister of this portfolio indicated that each of the parties must fulfill their responsibility. He indicated that “We are making the adjustments, with the IMAS, after the operators can fulfill their responsibilities to be informed, so that the day that the blackout occurs, it will not be taken by surprise”.
On the other hand, Vice Minister Estrada also indicated that the controversial issue on different channels under the tutelage of a single concessionaire was technically resolved. This is because for each operator 6 Megahertz will be assigned. “If you want to give more than one schedule (operator), the quality is lowered, you have a limited capacity, then you have to make profitable use of that radio spectrum”, he explained.
In addition, the opportunities for rural television stations will be equipped to access this benefit of assuming this digital evolution. The Government took the opportunity to remember about the projects that come later with the 5G speed for 2020 and 2021, due to the demand of the Internet and more capacity of the users.
The official said, in addition, that this trend will be faced with the arrival of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Big Data, should adjust the speeds at times when Costa Rica uses more data than the rest Central America.
